Wine Predator Gwendolyn Alley with amphora in Portugal
Question: When is a red wine more like a white wine— complete with chewy tannins? Answer: When it is an amber wine or orange wine! These wines with their typical golden color are made using the ancient technique of leaving a white grape on the skins for an extended period of time — long enough to gain a distinctive color. Often this is combined with another ancient technique of fermenting, aging, or storing the wine in large clay vessels with different names depending on the country of origin:
in Portugal as Talha
in Italy as Anfore, orci or giare
in Georgia as Qvevri or kvevri
in Spain as Tinaja
And in English, Amphora! Happy Amphora Wine Day! Georgia, “the cradle of wine,” is the original home for using these large clay vessels which they call qvevri. In 2023, we tasted and paired three with Georgian cuisine a few days before I left for Portugal’s Amphora Wine Day which in 2025 is today November 15, and to celebrate this year, we have three more amber wines from Georgia, with two of them made in qvevri or kvevri .
Turley and Robert Hall Carignane from Paso Robles Paired with Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken and squash bacon salad
Once upon a time, and not that long ago, Carignane was the most planted grape in California. In 1971 over 25,000 acres grew with Grenache at number two with half as many acres, according to the American Association of Wine Economists AAWE. Cabernet Sauvignon trailed at number eight with Chardonnay at number nineteen. A lot has changed in 50 years. Today Cabernet is King, Chardonnay is Queen, and in their latest report on Wine Grape Varieties in California in 2024 (bearing acres). Carignane is only the 23 most planted fruit bearing grape in California with 1,838 acres— just behind much better known wine grapes like Viognier at 22 with 2418 acres and just ahead of Sangioveses (the grape in Italy’s Chianti) at 25 with 1337.
So what happened? Carignane and Grenache grapes gave a big bang for the buck for brands like Gallo. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, most wine grapes went into bulk wine that was sold in large jugs. My grandpa’s wine cellar had wines like “Hearty Burgundy” which likely had very little Pinot Noir in it, but a lot of Grenache and probably a significant amount of carignane!
Menu to Pair with Duche de Longueville French Sparkling Cider
It’s not just all things pumpkin during fall festivities but apples too which makes it cider season! While hard cider is all the rage right now, a cider on the dry side can be food friendly. If you’re trying to sober up this fall, or cut down on your alcohol consumption, or even looking to enjoy something different, why have alcohol removed beverages when you can enjoy a non-alcoholic French Sparkling Cider from Duche de Longueville that’s vivacious, not too sweet, and pairs well with fall friendly foods like apples and squash?
Grower-Maker Delphine Colin’s Blanc de Blanc and Cuvee with Pairings
You probably already know that Champagne is a sparkling wine from Champagne and only Champagne, a region in northern France where growing conditions are challenging. But if you only buy Champagne at a grocery store or big box store, consider branching out to discover there’s more to that family tree in Champagne! For example, you might want to try wines that are made by the person who grew the grapes; these are called grower-maker wines and this is indicated on the label with an RM for Récoltant Manipulant (French for “grower-producer”).
On Sat. October 4, 2025, France won the World Tasting Championship with 135 points for the fourth time at Juraflore Fort des Rousses in the Jura, France. China came in second with 118 points, Australia third with 114 points, and first time competitor Macau came in fourth. Congratulations to all of the competitors, organizers, and sponsors! Read more about this year’s competition here.
But what were the wines they tasted? How hard were the wines to discern? How did the other 36 teams do? What about Team USA— how did it go for the home team? Continue reading →
In the 2025 World Tasting Championship, held today October 4 at Juraflore Fort des Rousses in the Jura, France, the French have regained the title after a final round with China, Macau, and Australia vying to win with a Hungarian Furmint leading to victory. This makes four championship titles for the French since the contest began in 2013.
wine predator.............. gwendolyn alley 